The ''Washington'' was a 19th-century

Sandy Hook Sandy Hook is a barrier spit in Middletown Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. The barrier spit, approximately in length and varying from wide, is located at the north end of the Jersey Shore. It encloses the southern en ...

pilot boat A pilot boat is a type of boat used to transport maritime pilots between land and the inbound or outbound ships that they are piloting. Pilot boats were once sailing boats that had to be fast because the first pilot to reach the incoming ship ...

built in 1845 by C. & R. Poillon for

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

Pilots. She was rebuilt several times, the last with the sail number "22" painted on her

mainsail A mainsail is a sail rigged on the main mast of a sailing vessel. * On a square rigged vessel, it is the lowest and largest sail on the main mast. * On a fore-and-aft rigged vessel, it is the sail rigged aft of the main mast. The sail's foot ...

. In 1884, she was sunk by the German steamship ''Roma,'' and then replaced by a new ''Washington''.

First ''Washington'' pilot boat

Construction and service

The pilot-boat ''Washington,'' according to ship registrations, was first built in 1845. She was rebuilt several times and had different sail numbers. In some cases, no sail number was provided and she was recognized only as ''pilot boat Washington''.

Sail number "2" (1840–1854)

The sail number "2" was painted as a large number on the mainsail. Based on this number, the ''Washington No. 2,'' can be found in several prominent newspapers from 1840 to 1854. In 1840, the pilot-boat ''Washington,'' No. 2, was listed in the ''New York Daily Herald,'' as one of eight New York pilot boats afloat. On 14 December 1840, James Burger, of the pilot boat ''Washington,'' along with other pilots from the port of New York, stated that they had never been employed by J. D. Stevenson and no compensation has been offered or demanded. On August 8, 1846, the pilot-boat ''Washington'' was in collision with the US steamer ''Colonel Harney.'' Thomas Gregory and others were paid $600 for injuries sustained by the pilot-boat and steamship. On February 15, 1848, pilot-boat ''Washington,'' off

Egg Harbor City, New Jersey Egg Harbor City is a City (New Jersey), city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city's population was 4,396, an increase of 153 from the 2010 Census.

passed a

brig A brig is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: two masts which are both square rig, square-rigged. Brigs originated in the second half of the 18th century and were a common type of smaller merchant vessel or warship from then until the ...

that was

capsized Capsizing or keeling over occurs when a boat or ship is rolled on its side or further by wave action, instability or wind force beyond the angle of positive static stability or it is upside down in the water. The act of recovering a vessel fro ...

. The wreck was also seen by the pilot-boat Jacob Bell, the next day. On May 22, 1850,

Henry Grinnell Henry Grinnell (February 18, 1799 – June 30, 1874) was an American merchant and philanthropist. Early life Grinnell was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts on February 18, 1799. He was the son of Cornelius Grinnell (1758–1850) and Sylvia ( ...

was on the pilot-boat ''Washington'' with Pilot Murphy to accompany the Arctic Expedition in search for

John Franklin Sir John Franklin (16 April 1786 – 11 June 1847) was a British Royal Navy officer and Arctic explorer. After serving in wars against Napoleonic France and the United States, he led two expeditions into the Canadian Arctic and through ...

. He was on the boat for three days and parted the expedition 40 miles south of

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. On December 21, 1852, New York pilot-boat ''Washington No. 2'', was lost in a gale near Squam Inlet. Three of her crew drowned in a yawl trying to escape the storm. Charles Johnston, Michael Burke, and Charles Hutchins. In the book, "From Sandy Hook to 62",

Charles Edward Russell Charles Edward Russell (September 25, 1860 in Davenport, Iowa – April 23, 1941 in Washington, D.C.) was an American journalist, opinion columnist, newspaper editor, and political activist. The author of a number of books of biography and socia ...

, describes the loss of the pilot-boat ''Washington No. 2,'' in January 1857 with the death on a pilot and six sailors. Other reports said that the pilot-boat Washington, No. 2 left New York harbor on January 13, 1857, and had not been heard from since January 17. The ''Empire City'' ran into her and sank her.

Sail number "4" (1854–1860)

The sail number "4" was painted as a large number on the mainsail. Based on this sail number, reports of the ''Washington No. 4,'' appeared in the New York newspapers from 1854 to 1860. On June 17, 1854, the owners of the pilot-boat ''Washington,'' No. 4, sued to recover damages occurred by a collision with the ferry boat ''Transit''. She soon after sank. The incident occurred in December 1851. The Court held that both parties were at fault and the damages divided between them. On February 23, 1855, James W. Avery put an ad in the ''New York Daily Herald'' saying the pilot boat Washington of New York was for sale. Built of live oak, locust, and cedar, by Brown & Bell, New York. Apply to John W. Avery, 309 Water Street. On January 14, 1856, pilot-boat ''Washington'', No. 4, was on a cruise for ten days. When she was thirty-six miles from Sandy Hook, Thomas J. Murphy, James Quinn, and Peter Murphy were swept by the sea over the

bowsprit The bowsprit of a sailing vessel is a spar extending forward from the vessel's prow. The bowsprit is typically held down by a bobstay that counteracts the forces from the forestays. The word ''bowsprit'' is thought to originate from the Middle L ...

to the

Companionway In the architecture of a ship, a companion or companionway is a raised and windowed hatchway in the ship's deck, with a ladder leading below and the hooded entrance-hatch to the main cabins. A companionway may be secured by doors or, commonly in ...

. All survived the incident. On June 6, 1859, the pilot-boat ''Washington,'' No. 4 found a hot-air balloon belonging to Joshua Pressy off Squan Beach. It was 32 feet in diameter and valued at $400. In 1860, the ''Washington,'' No. 4, was one of only twenty-one pilot boats in the New York in the fleet. On October 10, 1860, New York Sandy Hook Pilot

Michael Murphy Michael, Mick, or Mike Murphy may refer to: Artists and entertainers * Michael Murphy (actor) (born 1938), American actor * Mike Murphy (musician) (1946–2006), American drummer for the Bee Gees and Chicago * Michael Bryan Murphy, lead singer ...

, of the pilot boat ''Washington,'' No. 4, signed a statement along with other pilots, that they were satisfied with the representation of the New York Board of Commissioners of Pilots.

Sail number "22" (1876–1891)

The sail number "22" was prominently displayed in black on her mainsail. Based on this sail number, reports of the ''Washington No. 22'' appeared in the New York newspapers from 1876 to 1890. She was registered with the ''Record of American and Foreign Shipping'' from 1876 to 1886 as ''Washington.'' Her master was Captain Thomas Murray, her owners were a company of New York Pilots. Her hailing port was New York. She was 45-tons, 64.6 feet in length, 17.3 feet

breadth Length is a measure of distance. In the International System of Quantities, length is a quantity with dimension distance. In most systems of measurement a base unit for length is chosen, from which all other units are derived. In the Interna ...

and 8 feet in Depth.

End of service

On August 2, 1884, the German steamship ''Roma'', ran down the pilot-boat ''Washington, No. 22''. The boat was owned by Sandy Hook pilots: Daniel Gillespiek, Frederick Harpenau, Michael Murphy, Edward Young, Christopher Huns, and Captain Thomas Murray. She was valued at $8,000 but was only insured for three-tenths of her value.

Second ''Washington'' pilot boat (1884–1891)

On November 20, 1884, the new pilot boat-pilot ''Washington, No. 22'', was launched to take the place of the ''Washington,'' that was run down by the steamship ''Roma''. She was launched at the C. & R. Poillon's shipyard, near the foot of Bridge Street, in Brooklyn. Secretary Nash was at the launch represented the New York Pilot Board. Mrs. Christian Huns christened the boat. She was 160 tons, length 95 feet, breadth of beam, 22 feet; and depth of hold, 9 1/2 feet. The cost of was $18,000. Pilots Daniel Gillespiek, Edward Young, Christopher Huns, Frederick Harpenau, and Charles Peterson were the owners of the ''Washington''. On January 31, 1885, pilots: Daniel Gillespiek, Frederick Harpenau, and Edward Young, owners of the pilot-boat Washington, filed a libel in the US Court against the tugboat ''Mary N. Hogan'', claiming $9,000 in damages. On June 12, 1885, the boatkeeper, "Dutch Billy," of the pilot-boat ''Washington, No. 22,'' was washed overboard and drowned in a heavy gale. On March 5, 1890, Captain Edward Collins was lost from the pilot-boat ''Washington, No. 22,'' when he was crushed between the tugboat and the bark he was trying to board. On September 14, 1891, the ''pilot-boat Washington, No. 22,'' was in tow by the pilot boat, E. F. Williams, No. 24, when she hit a cyclone three hundred and fifty miles eastward of Sandy Hook. She arrived safely back into port with damages to her masts.

References

{{1884 shipwrecks Individual sailing vessels Schooners of the United States Service vessels of the United States 1845 ships Pilot boats Ships built in Brooklyn